Automatic case loader



Dec. 30, 1969 D. NINNEMAN 3,486,292

AUTOMATIC CASE LOADE'R Filed Oct. 27, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR LAWRENCE DUANE NINNEMAN ATTORNEYS M 4. Sic/m2; ale/M Dec. 30,1969 L. D. NINNEMAN 3,486,292

AUTOMATIC CASE LOADER Filed Oct. 27; 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet z FIGIAINVENTOR LAWRENCE DUANE NINNEMAN ATTORNEYS Dec. 30, 1969 L. D. NINNEMANAUTOMATIC CASE LOADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 2'7, 1966 \NVENTORLAWRENCE DUANENINNEMAN ATTORNEYS Dec. 30, 1969 L. D. NINNEMAN 3,486,292

AUTOMATI 0 CAS E LOADER Filed Oct. 27, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORLAWRENCE DUANE NINNEMAN w. F/'. JZAMM 1 K. ma

ATTORNEY5 Dec. 30, 1969 L. D. NINNEMAN AUTOMATIC CASE LOADER 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 27, 1966 INVENTOR LAWRENCE DUANE NINNEMANATTORZEYS hired States Patent 3,486,292 AUTOMATIC CASE LOADER LawrenceDuane Ninneman, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois, Inc., acorporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 589,877 Int. Cl. B651:21/06, 21/14 US. C]. 53-61 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREApparatus is provided for packing groups of containers in cases. Thecontainers are assembled in groups having a plurality of rows. The groupis engaged about its periphery by clamping means which are then rotatedabout a horizontal axis to invert the group to a position overlying thecase.

This invention relates to an apparatus for loading articles intocartons, and more particularly to an improved apparatus forautomatically loading containers into cases.

It is frequently desirable to package containers such as bottles.whether empty or filled, into cardboard shipping cases. with thecontainers being packaged in. the case in the inverted. or upside-downposition. For example, the manufacturer of containers frequently packagethe containers in open-topped cases, which cases are subsequently usedby the purchaser of the containers for shipping the filled containers.In such instances, it is frequently desirable to package the emptycontainers in the open case in the upside-down condition so that, whenthe containers are removed from the open-topped case, the containerswill be in the upright position ready to be fed through automaticfilling equipment.

Numerous devices have been provided in the past for use in packagingcontainers in cases with the containers in the inverted position, butthese devices have normally required the open case to be inverted andplaced over the case load of upright containers, with the containers andthe case being subsequently turned upside-down to permit furtherhandling. These devices have not been entirely satisfactory in that theyhave been relatively slow, and normally have required the open case tobe manually inverted and placed over the case load of containers.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide animproved, fully automatic, high speed case loading apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in whichthe containers are packaged in the case in the inverted condition.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus in which a plurality ofcontainers are assembled into a group, in the upright condition, thenautomatically inverted and inserted simultaneously into the open top ofthe case.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in whicha case load of containers are assembled into a group, then inverted andpartially inserted into the open top of the case, then permitted to fallby gravity into the case in the inverted condition.

In the attainment of the foregoing and other objects, an importantfeature of the invention resides in providing a container conveyer fortransporting the containers to be packaged in an upright condition to agroup-forming apparatus which forms the containers into successivegroups each containing a predetermined number of containers. A secondconveyer conveys the open cases in succession to a position adjacent thegroup-forming apparatus, where they are temporarily held in position toreceive the group of containers. A pivotally mounted chuck is moved intoposition around a formed group of containers and simultaneously clampsthe group from four sides, then rotates 3,486,292 Patented Dec. 30, 1969the group of containers through to partially insert the top portion ofthe individual containers into the open case. The chuck then releasesthe formed group, and the containers fall by gravity into the open case.

While one case load of containers is being inverted and dropped into anopen case on the case conveyer, the groupforming equipment forms asecond case load of containers into a group in position to be clamped bythe chuck means. As the second case load is being clamped by the chuck,the case conveyer moves the loaded case, and positions a second open'case adjacent the group-forming equipment in position to receive thesecond case load. The simultaneous group-forming and case-loadingoperations make it possible to load the cases at a very high rate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taken with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an automatic case loading apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 1(a) is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 with certain parts shownin alternate position, and illustrating the simultaneous group-formingand case filling operations;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the chuck mechanism employed toclamp, invert, and transfer the assembled group of containers to theopen case;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, withcertain parts broken away to more clearly disclose other parts;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail. an automatic case loaderaccording to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1(a) ofthe drawings as including a driven belt conveyer 10 for conveyingarticles, in a single row, between the movable guides 11, 12 of aconventional group-forming mechanism illustrated generally by thereference numeral 13. The containers are collected against a movablestop 14 in a plurality of parallel rows separated by adjustable guides15 until the desired number of rows each containing the desired numberof containers is collected into a group. The stop 14 is then moved topermit the collected rows of containers to be moved by conveyer 10 alongthe converging guide members 16, 17 to a clamping station where thegroup engages and is stopped by the stop member 18 projecting over thetop of conveyer 10. The presence of the group is sensed by suitablesensing means such as switches 19, 20 having actuating arms 21, 22,respectively projecting into the group-forming area in position to beengaged and actuated by the individual container 23.

A second driven belt conveyer 24 is positioned in parallel side-by-siderelation to conveyer 10 to convey cases to and from a filling stationopposite the clamping station. A conventional carton flap opening andfolding device 25, and flap hold down wire 26 is provided to fold thecarton or case flaps open and hold them in the open position during theloading operation. This case flap opening mechanism, per se, isconventional and as such forms no part of this invention. A retractablestop 27 positions the open case at the filling station.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 2 through 5 of the drawings, themechanism for loading the grouped containers into the open cases will bedescribed in detail. The loading mechanism, illustrated generally by thereference numeral 30, includes a base 31 supporting an upright framemechanism 32 between the conveyers 10 and 24. A

pair of journaled bearings 33, 34, supported on frame 32, as by bolts35, mount an elongated shaft 36 for rotation about a horizontal axisgenerally parallel to and spaced between conveyers and 24. A generallyrectangular frame 37, consisting of a pair of parallel, spaced sideangles 38, 39 connected at one end by an angle member 40, and at theirother end by a counterweight member 41, is mounted on shaft 36 forrotation therewith. A pair of mounting blocks 42 are rigidly fixed, asby bolts 43, one on each of the side angle members 38, 39, with themounting blocks 42 each having a bore 44 formed therein for receivingthe shaft 36. A key 45 rotatably fixes the blocks 42 to shaft 36 forrotation therewith. Blocks 42 are rigidly fixed on angles 38, 39 nearthe ends thereof which are connected by the counterweight 41 so that therectangular frame 37 projects laterally from shaft 36 a distancesufficient to overlay conveyer 10 or 24 depending upon the rotationalposition of shaft 36.

A first elongated shaft assembly 46, consisting of a threaded centralsection 47 having end sections 48, 49 mounted thereon by shaft couplings50, 51 respectively, is rotatably mounted on frame 37 in spaced parallelrelation to shaft 36, with shaft 46 being journaled for rotation inframe 37 by bearings in housings 52 and 53. A bracket 85 is rigidlyfixed, as by welding, on angle member 38, and supports a reversiblemotor 54. Shaft 46 is connected, through shaft coupling 55, to thereversible motor 54 for rotation thereby in either direction. A pair ofbevelled gears 56, 57 are rotatably fixed, one on each of the shaft endsections 48, 49, for rotation therewith.

Bevelled gears 56, 57 mesh with identical bevel gears 58, 59 whch arerotatably fixed on the end section 60, 61, respectively of a pair ofparallel shaft assemblies 62, 63, which, in turn, are rotatably mountedon side angles 38, 39, respectively, of frame 37. Shaft 62 includes acentral threaded section 64 and a second end section 65, with endsections and 65 being mounted on section 64 by couplings 66, 67,respectively. Shaft assembly 62 is supported for rotation on angle 38 byhearings in housing 52 and 68.

Shaft assembly 63 includes a threaded portion 69 which is connected toend section 61 by coupling 70, and the assembly is supported forrotation on angle member 39 by bearings in housing 53 and bearing block71. A bevelled gear 72 mounted on end section 65 of shaft 62 meshes witha bevelled gear 73 rotatably fixed on the end section 74 of a fourthshaft assembly 75. The shaft assembly includes a threaded segment 76connected to end segment 74, as by coupling 77, and is supported alongangle section 40 for rotation about an axis parallel to shaft assembly47 and shaft 36 by bearings in housing 68 and bearing block 78. As bestseen in FIG. 2, the arrangement of the bevelled gears on the shaftassemblies 46, 62, 63 and 75 is such that, upon rotation of the shaft 46by the motor 54, the shafts 62, 63 and 75 will simultaneously berotated, with the shafts which are parallel to one another being rotatedin the same direction.

Each of the shaft segments 47, 64, 69 and 76 are threaded along aportion of their length adjacent each end thereof, with the threads onthe opposite ends of each shaft being of different hand. The shafts areoriented on the rectangular frame 37 so that the threads formed oncorresponding ends of the parallel pairs of shafts are identical asillustrated in FIG. 2.

A first pair of elongated clamping bars 80, 81 having laterally offset,generally parallel central portions 80(a), 81(a), respectively, eachhave one end threadably supported on the threaded shaft segment 47, oneon each end thereof, and their respective other ends threadablysupported on the corresponding end of threaded segment 76 of shaft 75.Thus, the clamping bars 80, 81 each have their respective ends supportedon shaft threads of the same hand, but with the hand of the threadsupporting clamping arm 80 being opposite to the hand of the threadsupporting shaft 81. Since shafts 46 and 75 are rotated in the samedirection upon rotation of motor 54, the clamp ing arms 80, 81 will bemoved simultaneously along their supporting shafts in oppositedirections with their central portions 80(a), 81(a) remaining parallel.Similarly, .1 second pair of clamping arms 82, 83 having laterallyoffset generally parallel central portions 82(a), 83(a), respectively,are mounted on the shafts 62, 63 in generally perpendicular overlayingrelation (FIG. 1(a)) with arms 80, 81 for simultaneous movement towardor away from one another upon rotation of the supporting shafts by motor54.

Since all the shaft assemblies (46, 62, 63 and 75) are rotatedsimultaneously and in equal amounts by the motor 54, acting through thevarious bevelled gears, the clamping arms 80, 81, 82, 83 therebetweensimultaneously close from four sides. For example, rotation of motor 54in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the driven end of shaft 47)will result in shaft 75 also being driven in the clockwise direction,and clamping arms 80, 81 will be moved toward one anoher. At the sametime, shafts 62 and 63 will be driven in a counter-clockwise direction(as viewed from the ends thereof closest to shaft 46) so that clampingarms 82, 83 will be driven toward one another. By providing identicalbevelled gears to drive the shaft assemblies, and by forming the threadon the various shafts with the same pitch, the clamping arms will bemoved the same distance so that the perpendicular arrangementillustrated in FIG. 2 will always be maintained. Thus, articles spacedbetween the clamping arms may be simultaneously clamped from four sideswith equal clamping pressure being applied to each of the four sides.

The laterally offset configuration of the respective clamping bars isdesirable to facilitate clamping of relatively large groups of articleswhile maintaining the size of the rectangular frame at a minimum.Preferably, resilient clamping pads 84 are secured to the clamping faceof the respective clamping arms to compensate for any slightmisalignment or size variation of the articles clamped.

To control the extent of movement of the clamping arms 80, 81, 82 and83, a lever 86 is supported on the end of arm 81 for movement therewithalong shaft element 47. A pair of electrical switches 87, 88 are mountedon a bracket 89 rigidly supported on frame 37 adjacent shaft 46. Theswitch 87 is connected in the control circuitry for the motor 54, and ispositioned to be actuated by the lever 86 to limit the movement of therespective clamping arms toward one another. Similarly, the switch 88 isconnected in the control circuitry to the motor .54 and positioned onthe bracket 89 to be engaged by the lever 86 to control the extent ofmovement of the clamping arms away from one another. Switches 87 and 88may be adjusted along the length of mounting bracket 89, by any suitablemeans, not shown, so that the chuck mechanism may readily be adjusted toclamp loads of any desired size within the physical limits of theapparatus.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the mechanism employedto rotate shaft 36 to thereby move the chuck mechanism between the loadclamping position shown in the full line and the load releasing positionshown in phantom line in FIG. 3 will be described in detail. An electricmotor 90 mounted on base 31, acting through shaft 91, pulley 92, belt93, and the electromagnetic clutch-brake mechanism 94, drives the inputshaft of a reduction gear mechanism 96 mounted on base 31. A crank arm97 is rotatably fixed, as by key 98, on the output shaft 99 of thereduction gear mechanism 96. A crank pin 100 rotatably supports one endof a piston rod 101 which is pivotally connected, through spherical rodend 102 and piston pin 103, to an elongated Vertically extending piston104. The piston 104 is supported within housing assembly 105, and guidedfor vertical reciprocal movement therein by bushings 106, 107 and bylubrication seal 108. Housing assembly 105 is rigidly supported on frame32 by bolts 109.

A shaft 120 is mounted within housing 105 for rotation about ahorizontal axis in alignment with shaft 36 by suitable antifrictionbearings 121, 122. Shaft 120 projects outwardly from housing 105, and asuitable lubrication seal 123 mounted on housing 105 maintains alubricationtight condition with the housing. Shaft 120 is connected toshaft 36 for rotation therewith by a coupling sleeve 124 and keys 125,126. A pinion 130 is rotatably fixed, as by key 131, on shaft 120 withinhousing 105, and a rack 132 formed on the side of piston 104 meshes withpinion 130 so that vertical movement of piston 104, acting through therack 132 and pinion 130, results in rotation of the shaft 120.

An electrical switch 140 having an elongated actuating arm 141 ismounted on frame 32 with the arm projecting laterally therefrom inposition to be actuated by a roller cam 142 carried on crank pin 100when the piston rod 101 and the piston 104 are in their uppermostposition illustrated in the full line position in FIG. 3. A similarelectrical switch 143 having an elongated actuating arm 144 is mountedon frame 32 in position to be actuated by the roller cam 142 when theoutput shaft 99 has been rotated through 180 from the FIG. 3 position toplace the piston rod 101 and the piston 104 in their fully loweredposition. Switches 140 and 143 are connected into the electric controlcircuit for the electromagnetically actuated clutch-brake mechanism 94to stop rotation of the output shaft 99 of the reduction gear mechanism96 when the piston 104 is in the fully elevated and fully loweredpositions. Switches 140 and 143 are also connected in the controlcircuitry for the motor 54 so that the motor 54 is driven to move theclamping arms only when the piston 104 is in the fully extended orlowered position to position the chuck mechanism in either the clampingor releasing position. Similarly, switches 87 and 88 are connected inthe control circuit to the clutch-brake 94. For example, the clutch canbe moved from the clamping station only after the motor 54 has driventhe clamping arms toward one another and lever 86 has actuated switch88, and the clutch can only be moved from the releasing position afterlever 86 has actuated switch 87.

In operation of the device, articles such as empty containers 23 are fedin single file along conveyer between the movable parallel guide rails11, 12 and collected by the group forming mechanism 13 into a pluralityof parallel rows, each including a predetermined number of containers,in a conventional manner. The formed rows of containers are released bythe movable stop 14 and permitted, to move on conveyer 10 between theconverging guide rails 16 and 17 and be collected against the adjustablestop member 18 as a compact group supported in a fixed or clampingposition on the conveyer 10. Suitable sensing means such as the switches19 and 20 are employed to sense the presence of a formed group at theclamping station. The containers are permitted to move onto thegroup-forming station only when the chuck is moving toward or at thereleasing position, and when a complete group of containers is sensed,the electromagnetically actuated clutch-brake mechanism 94 is actuatedto drive the reduction gear 96 to move the piston 104 toward the fullyelevated position. This upward movement of the piston 104, actingthrough the rack 132 and pinion 130 rotates shaft 36 which, in turn,swings the rectangular frame 37 and the chuck mechanism supportedtherein from releasing position over the filling station on the adjacentconveyer 24 to the clamping position above the container conveyer 10. Atthis point, switch 140 actuates the clutch-brake to stop rotation ofshaft 99 and energizes motor 54 to drive the clamping arms toward oneanother to simultaneously clamp the assembled group of containers fromall four sides. When the clamping arms have been moved sufiiciently toclamp the formed group of containers, lever 86 actuates switch 87 todeenergize motor 54 and to actuate the clutch-brake mechanism 94 todrive the rack and pinion in a direction to swing the chuck mechanismand the group of containers clamped thereby through an arc of about thehorizontal shaft 36. This 180 arc inverts the containers of theassembled group, and partially inserts the neck of the containers intoan open case positioned at the filling station on the conveyer 24. Asthe clutch mechanism reaches this position, switch 143 is actuated toactuate the clutch-brake mechanism 94 to stop shaft 99 and to energizemotor 54 to drive the clamping arms in a direction to release theclamped group of containers simultaneously from all sides to permit theinverted group to fall, by gravity, into the open, case. After apredetermined movement of the clamping arms, switch 88 will be actuatedto deenergize motor 54 and if another group of containers have beensensed at the clamping station to actuate clutch-brake 94 toautomatically repeat the operation. As the second group of containers isbeing clamped, the filled case is released and another empty case ispositioned at the filling station ready to receive a second case load ofcontainers. Thus, the operation is fully au omatic.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish itunderstood that I do not intend to be restricted solely thereto, butthat I do intend to cover all embodiments thereof which would beapparent to one skilled in the art and which come Within the spirit andscope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a case loading apparatus, an article clamping and transfermechanism comprising a frame, first and second pairs of elongated spacedparallel clamping bars, said second pair of clamping bars extendingsubstantially perpendicular to said first pair of bars in overlayingrela: tion and cooperating therewith to form the four sides of an opencentered generally rectangular clamp, support means mounted on saidframe out-board of said rectangular clamp movably supporting each ofsaid clamping bars, drive means for moving the clamping bars of eachpair toward or away from one another to clamp or release articlesdisposed within said rectangular clamp from four sides simultaneously,and means supporting said frame for rotation about an axis spaced fromsaid generally rectangular clamp.

2. The article clamping and transfer mechanism defined in claim 1wherein said rectangular clamp is normally disposed in a horizontalplane, said frame being supported for rotation about a horizontal axisgenerally parallel to one side of said rectangular clamp.

3. The article clamping and transfer mechanism defined in claim 2further comprising means for oscillating said frame about saidhorizontal axis through an arc of substantially 180 to simultaneouslytransfer and invert articles clamped in said rectangular clamp.

4. An apparatus for packing articles in cases comprising, incombination, a conveyer for transporting the articles to be packaged inan upright condition, group forming means for forming a predeterminednumber of the upright articles conveyed on said conveyer into a groupcomprising a plurality of rows at a grouping station, chuck meansmounted for rotation about an axis spaced from said grouping stationbetween a clamping position above said grouping station and a releasingposition spaced from said clamping position, said chuck means includingmeans for simultaneously clamping the group of articles from oppositesides thereof when said chuck is in said clamping position, and meansfor rotating said chuck about said axis to simultaneously invert a groupof articles clamped thereby and transfer the group from said groupingstation to a case filling station beneath said releasing position, saidchuck means comprising first and second pairs of elongated spacedparallel clamping bars, said second pair of clamping bars extendingsubstantially perpendicular to said first pair of bars in overlayingrelation and cooperating therewith to form the four sides of a generallyrectangular clamp, support means outboard of said rectangular clarnp forsupporting each of said clamping bars, and drive means for moving theclamping bars of each pair toward or away from one another to clamp orrelease articles disposed within said rectangular clamp from four sidessimultaneously.

5. The case packing apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said supportmeans include means of supporting each of said clamping bars at each endthereof.

6. The case packing apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said drivemeans moves each of said clamping bars an equal amount to clamp orrelease articles disposed in said rectangular clamp.

7. The case packing apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said clampingbars are movably mounted on said support means, and said drive meansincludes means for moving said clamping bars on said support meanstoward or away from one another.

8. The case packing apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said supportmeans comprises an elongated shaft rotatably mounted in outwardly spacedgenerally parallel relation to each of said clamping bars, and screwthreads of opposite hand formed on opposed ends of each of said shaftsfor engaging mating screw threads on one end of each clamping bar of onepair of said clamping bars, one of said clamping bars engaging the screwthread on each end of each said shaft.

9. The case packing apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein said drivemeans includes motor means for simultaneously rotating each of saidshafts, said motor means being operable to drive said shafts in eitherdirection to simultaneously move the clamping bars of each pair of barstoward or away from one another.

10. An apparatus for packing articles in cases comprising, incombination, a conveyer for transporting the articles to be packaged inan upright condition, group forming means for forming a predeterminednumberof the upright articles conveyed on said conveyer into a groupcomprising a plurality of rows at a grouping station, chuck meansmounted for rotation about an axis spaced from said grouping stationbetween a clamping position above said grouping station and a releasingposition spaced from said clamping position, said chuck means includingmeans for simultaneously clamping the group of articles from oppositesides thereof when said chuck is in said clamping position, means forrotating said chuck about said axis through an arc of substantially 180to simultaneously invert a group of articles clamped thereby andtransfer the group from said grouping station to a case filling stationbeneath said releasing position, means for conveying empty cases to saidcase filling station and for conveying full cases from said case fillingstation, and group sensing means for sensing the presence of a group ofcontainers at said grouping station, said group sensing means beingoperatively connected with said chuck rotating means to prevent movementof said chuck from said releasing position to said clamping position inthe absence of a formed group of articles at said grouping station.

11. An apparatus for packing articles in cases comprising, incombination, a conveyer for transporting the articles to be packaged inan upright condition, group forming means for forming a predeterminednumber of the upright articles conveyed on said conveyer into a groupcomprising a plurality of rows at a grouping station, chuck meansmounted for rotation about an axis spaced from said grouping stationbetween a clamping position above said grouping station and a releasingposition spaced from said clamping position, said chuck means includingmeans for simultaneously clamping the group of articles from oppositesides thereof when said chuck is in said clamping position, means forrotating said chuck about said axis through an arc of substantially 180to simultaneously invert a group of articles clamped thereby andtransfer the group from said grouping station to a case filling stationbeneath said releasing position, means for conveying empty cases to saidcase filling station and for conveying full cases from said case fillingstation, motor means for actuating said chuck to clamp a group ofarticles when said chuck is in clamping position and to release a groupof articles clamped thereby when said chuck is in said releasingposition and means for preventing movement of said chuck from saidclamping position until said motor means has actuated said chuck toclamp articles at said clamping station, and for preventing movement ofsaid chuck from said releasing position until said motor means hasactuated said chuck to release articles clamped thereby.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,858 8/1951 McGinley et a153388 2,627,335 2/1953 Gedris l98-33 2,637,268 5/1953 Culver 100232FOREIGN PATENTS 69,236 9/ 1940 Czechoslovokia. 864,405 4/ 1961 GreatBritain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

